Discussion for a Kingdom of ashes OOC II

[Queen_Dopplepopolis]

Okay, for the first Oceanus mission we need to pick one, maybe two objectives. We don't need to get everything done at once, nor are we likely to. That said I think we make the target liberation of some elves or the capture of some cannonballs. These are small objectives, yes, but I think we need to start small until we're more certain what we're dealing with, in terms of getting into/out of the city, patrols, how well people are staying hidden etc.
That said, my idea was not for this to be a "Team Sneak" adventure, simply because that's asking for death. I think we need more than 2-3 people in there in order to achieve our objectives and survive the experience. Magic will certainly help on the stealth side, but if it hits the fan, we may need more than just stealth and luck. As it stands, I'm not comfortable enough with the teleportation idea and how feasible it is to trust to that particular exfiltration method.
Whether we need everyone or everyone wants to go is something else. Heck, we could bring along a ShadowPhoenix trainee, if it comes down to it.
Finally, there's no reason we have to wait until the second week or whatever to do the first run. We can do it a day or two after the funeral, before the walls are completed, if that's a concern.
Okay, now back to NATO.

First, I think that the first mission needs to compile information for the future freeing of Oceanus. We need to know who is controlling the city.
That will have a large affect on how we train the troops and how our attack on Oceanus will be executed...

Second, Team Sneak has to be small. They are sneaky. Justice isn't particularly sneaky, nor is Arfin... I think, putting individuals not made to sneak into the city at this point is a terrible idea.

Third, I'm all for having Team Sneak go in as early as possible... but, we may need to wait for the resources provided by some of the Bluemages that will, hopefully, be coming to the city...

 

[Laurel]

server issues- double post....

 

[Laurel]

Here is my take on what our SpecOps teams should look like, although using humans, which are less common than Mik's use of elves. Nevertheless, since most of these guys will be pulled from the regular army, which has more significant numbers of the other races, it still works. I've approached it with a somewhat different philosophy than Mik, so we can hash it out, either as a group or between Mik and myself, depending on interest etc, on how the final teams and elven/human components look.
Finally, if we use the terms "Mender" and "Eye" as proposed by Mik, I am forced to tell you that I will be resigning from D&D forever, because those are just too lame for me to handle.

I'd love to see the final... but this definitely not my area of experience, so my input would nil and very unhelpful. You guys seem to be having fun, and know way more about it so have fun I trust ya!

 

[The_Universe]

1. Discover who is controlling Syvattagor (sp?).

2. Discover where they are taking all the elves.

3. Look for clues as to the location to the blade that is in Oceanus.

4. Look for anything that links the Draconics with the King.

5. Don't get caught.

These are sufficient ideas for strategic level objectives, but you need to focus, a bit.

There are additional questions you need to ask for each of these, that, when answered, will make making a plan much easier. In addition, it can determine how you're going to try to structure/equip your team. You may not be able to accomplish all of this stuff in one foray. Which of the above are immediate priorities, and what can wait a while...?

1) Where are you going to look for Syvattagor's master, and/or who will you question?

2) Where are you going to start? At the City Watch? Elsewhere? Where are you going to look assuming that they're not there, anymore?

3) Is there anywhere it is likely to be? Are there known NPCs that would have an idea of its location?

4) You already know that there are things (like cannons and cannonballs) that can do this. Don't backtrack to looking for "evidence." You really need to determine how you're going to acquire the evidence you already know exists.

5) This is good, but what you're really looking for is a entry/exit strategy. What is it?

 

[Laurel]

5) This is good, but what you're really looking for is a entry/exit strategy. What is it?

Some that I had previously posted-

Options for getting into Oceanus:

a- we see if we can capture one/multiple of the curious enemies that are flying above us, then use the beasts and disguses to fly into city as sentry.
b- go down the coast till we hit a lower cliff hight and swim in
c- we use mages and see if we can poof in
d- use pop-up boat from coastal area to get close to docks
e- I use bob or thane and Justice to go find aquatic animals to help us in by underwater means :\
f- we just run for the front gate (screaming bloody murder) and see if they nicely open the gates :\

I am stopping here since my ideas degrade to ridiculas past this point...and no I do not claim this is even partially a complete list of options, just some ideas I had.

 

[Queen_Dopplepopolis]

These are sufficient ideas for strategic level objectives, but you need to focus, a bit.

There are additional questions you need to ask for each of these, that, when answered, will make making a plan much easier. In addition, it can determine how you're going to try to structure/equip your team. You may not be able to accomplish all of this stuff in one foray. Which of the above are immediate priorities, and what can wait a while...?

1) Where are you going to look for Syvattagor's master, and/or who will you question?

2) Where are you going to start? At the City Watch? Elsewhere? Where are you going to look assuming that they're not there, anymore?

3) Is there anywhere it is likely to be? Are there known NPCs that would have an idea of its location?

4) You already know that there are things (like cannons and cannonballs) that can do this. Don't backtrack to looking for "evidence." You really need to determine how you're going to acquire the evidence you already know exists.

5) This is good, but what you're really looking for is a entry/exit strategy. What is it?

My post was not meant to be concrete plan-- just things that we'd like to accomplish...

The post following it addresses some of the issues that you brought up... however, I'm not sure what the best plan of action is for questions and the like... which is why I think it's very important for Team Sneak to talk about this stuff in the very near future if we are going to actually do this on Saturday.

We need to be able to look at maps and discuss it-- that's really hard to do over the message boards... and, if we wait until Saturday to do it, we won't get any actual gaming done...

I don't think that there's really anyone that we can "ask" anything within the city-- I guess, I could be wrong... but, based on what I've seen in my flights towards the city, I don't think we're going to meet any friendly people just wandering the streets.

Looking for the big boss is going to mean looking the the Duke's palace, I'd assume...

I am certainly not the one to be "planning" the entrance and exit strats... that's definately more up Mik and Jeremiahs alley... Justice is good at the military stuff... and Liz is learning... but, this week is a bad week to try to cram any additional information into my brain...

So, Mik, Jeremiah--what are your thoughts?

 

[Laurel]

There are additional questions you need to ask for each of these, that, when answered, will make making a plan much easier. In addition, it can determine how you're going to try to structure/equip your team. You may not be able to accomplish all of this stuff in one foray. Which of the above are immediate priorities, and what can wait a while...?

Definately, I think Universe and Jeramiah are correct here. We should focus on one or two main objectives for this mission. This is not the only foray just the first.

1) Where are you going to look for Syvattagor's master, and/or who will you question?

Well, most obvious is the Duke's palace, and through our scrying and such wehave not seen anyone wondering around that looks to be in charge. This is also the place that would most likely be the most fortified, protected, guarded. Maybe when we free some hostages, they will have seen someone in power -maybe used as an errand person/slave or such. They may have also seen other things or had stories (not the most reliable) of what other actions/demands are being made to other prisoners.
Also, maybe the person in charge is not here phyically... not the most likly option, but an option. Syvattagor may just have been and is being given a plan via someone not in Oceanus.

3) Is there anywhere it is likely to be? Are there known NPCs that would have an idea of its location?

The duke would be a good one to question re:where is the greyclaw blade, but I think at least the sword has other powers that only the ruler of Oceanus can use... I don't think there fact/proof of this, and this is not the primary reason someone has taken it. But again, the palace and the greyclaw throne is the most likely place, I would say....

4) You already know that there are things (like cannons and cannonballs) that can do this. Don't backtrack to looking for "evidence." You really need to determine how you're going to acquire the evidence you already know exists.

Taking guns, cannon balls from inside Oceanus-- guns can be taken from people we encounter (if we have altercations), the cannon balls will be stored in the armory- where was that/do we even know? Also, around where cannons currently are -on the walls, on ships. If we go by sea, on the way out we grab a cannon ball from a relatively empty ship.... maybe...

 

[Queen_Dopplepopolis]

I am certainly not the one to be "planning" the entrance and exit strats... that's definately more up Mik and Jeremiahs alley... Justice is good at the military stuff... and Liz is learning... but, this week is a bad week to try to cram any additional information into my brain...

So, Mik, Jeremiah--what are your thoughts?

Didn't want this to sound like I was trying to exclude everyone except Jeremiah and Mik... just trying to have the people with the most real world, out of game experience working on the exit strats and stuff so that we don't end up with some HUGE troubles next time we game...

Everyone should have input... just saying that don't exactly have a lot of experience in exit strats so, my input will be of limited use, that's all.

 

[Queen_Dopplepopolis]

Objectives revised...

So, for the first trip into Oceanus, we need to narrow our objectives...

I would say:

1. Syvattagor's boss-man is important.

2. Cannon balls are important-- some sort of physical proof to back up our cause.

Getting cannon balls/proof is important in rallying our forces. Syvattagor's boss is important in actually waging war on the Draconids... so, I think that these two objectives would be the best to focus on in the first trip into the city.

 

[Queen_Dopplepopolis]

Do we have a detailed map of the inside of the Duke's palace?

... if not, can the Duke draw us one?

If we have our hands on a detailed map, will it be possible for the Mages to poof Team Sneak into the palace?

... if not, how would this option be possible?